Courtney Symes - Page 3

Artistic mastermind and unparalleled choreographer Jacob Gutierrez-Montoya is having a summer to remember. He is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his philanthropic dance company, Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre, while also being recognized by Comstock’s Magazine as one of their 2024 Young Professionals. While juggling multiple other projects, he took the time to speak to BWW about SCDT’s anniversary performance, his new Fringe entry, and all of the exciting things still to come in 2024.

Long before Walt Disney, Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio entertained children in a weekly Italian magazine. In 1883 it was turned into a novel and has since inspired many adaptations, including the play currently running at Freefall Stage. The True Adventures of Pinocchio, adapted by Louis Lippa, is showing through June 16th.

Edward Albee, whose odd middle-aged characters have fascinated American theatre-goers since 1962’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, explores what is perhaps his most interesting family dynamic in the 2002 Tony Award-winning play The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? The play is, as you might imagine, about a goat. This is not just any goat, though; this is a home-wrecking goat. Now, you might wonder how a farm animal could possibly drive a wedge in a solid family unit. Well, I’m here to tell you that it does so in a provocative and gut-busting script of genius and absolute hilarity.

Take a quick trip to Las Vegas and you’ll be flooded with Elvis sightings. Impersonators walking the strip, tribute artists, and even a wedding chapel pay homage to the man many know as the King of Rock and Roll. Elvis’s appeal goes even further than that, reaching millions worldwide and sparking lookalike contests all over the globe. How does one stand out in a veritable sea of Elvis? BroadwayWorld spoke to Matt Stone, a talented tribute artist who is performing at The Sofia this weekend. He and the Graceland Band will grace the stage on their first visit to Sacramento with their nationally acclaimed concert on June 9th.

Death becomes her…I think. Or maybe it becomes him. Someone might be dead. Or not. Florian Zeller’s The Height of the Storm leaves many unanswered questions at the Black Point Theatre, ones that I’m not sure I will ever understand. I suppose that’s the point, as Zeller said, “…For me the theatre is, above all, the place for questions, not answers. For doubt more than certainty or conviction.”  

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Capital Stage has revealed a play that is perfect for celebrating mothers. It also happens to be my favorite of their offerings to date. Cry it Out, by Molly Smith Metzler, tackles an important conversation that often gets overlooked, and does it with insight, grace, and a whole lot of humor.

September 11, 2001, is a date that is seared into the consciousness of everyone old enough to remember the events of that day. While the tragedy was overwhelming, the courage and solidarity that emerged was overflowing. Come From Away shows some of the best of humanity and leaves us with hope that human kindness will always prevail. The public agrees, as its 2017 Broadway premiere garnered seven Tony Award nominations.

When we hear The Odd Couple, most people imagine the 1970s television series starring Walter Matthau and Art Carney. What some might not know was that it originated as a Neil Simon play on Broadway in 1965. After the success of the film and television versions, Simon adapted the play in 1985 to feature two female roommates, Florence Ungar and Olive Madison. Women’s Theatre Collective brings this play, The Odd Couple – Female Version, to the Ooley Theatre through May 5th.

Sacramento’s vibrant arts community is thriving and full of entertainment options to choose from. While we are lucky to have so many professional selections, it becomes easy to overlook the community theatres that put out quality productions and that need our support. One local organization, SARTA, strives to bring attention and funding to these theatres in a variety of ways.

I had a unique opportunity last weekend to experience a completely student-run production of a show that has intrigued me since I first heard of it. Alice by Heart is a musical with music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics and book by Steven Sater (with Jessie Nelson), the duo responsible for Spring Awakening. Neely Hebert, who was interviewed by BroadwayWorld about this production earlier this month, produced and directed Alice by Heart as a labor of love for her contemporaries and the local theatre community before she leaves for college this summer.

The B Street Theatre has been riding a wave of hit after hit, continuing with Aurora Real de Asua’s surfing comedy, Wipeout. Set in one of my favorite locales, Santa Cruz, Wipeout explores the friendship between three unique women. Rolling surfboards, a hunky instructor, and the bluntness that comes with age make this an engaging, relatable, and completely hilarious take on how our relationships –with ourselves and others – change in each season of life.

America’s most endearing, optimistic orphan is back in Sacramento and she has a powerful posse of bunkmates backing her up. Almost fifty years after her debut, Annie is as relevant as ever and still stealing hearts with her smarts and sass. After taking home seven Tony Awards in 1977, the show went on to numerous adaptations, including the memorable 1982 film.

Robin Hood, that English ruffian, is back over 700 years after first appearing in Sherwood Forest. His story has undergone several transformations, including the addition of Maid Marian and Friar Tuck in the 15th century. It continues to evolve to encompass 21st century ideas in Jerry Montoya’s new play at the B St. Theatre, Robin Hood.

One of the endearing aspects of the B Street Theatre is that you will always see familiar faces on stage. Their Company members comprise most of the roles in their shows, so it’s fun to watch them as different characters throughout the season. One such Company member, Amy Kelly, has gone from Mrs. Claus to a butler to a friar in a matter of months. She’s currently in B Street’s production of Robin Hood while recording as one half of the musical group Mustache & Cleavage. BroadwayWorld spoke to Amy about her favorite roles, mustaches, and her upcoming album.

I’m still not sure what I watched on Saturday night at the Valkyrie Theatre Company, and I don’t know that I’ll ever fully figure it out. Strangely enough, I feel inclined to go back to gather more pieces of the puzzle. Apparently, such is the norm for viewers of Ghost Quartet, a theatrical song cycle by Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812).

The future of theatre is in good hands. Neely Hebert, a senior at Rio Americano, is making a name for herself in the world of entertainment. While her focus is on film, she is also forging a path on the stage. In our first Sacramento Student Spotlight, BroadwayWorld talks to Neely about her new show and her upcoming journey beyond Sacramento.

Margaret Atwood’s play, The Penelopiad, is a fascinating glimpse into an oft overlooked character. The book of the same name was published in 2005 as part of the Canongate Myth Series, in which contemporary authors write their version of ancient myths. Atwood’s story concerns Penelope, wife of Odysseus, and recounts events from her point of view.

Capital Stage’s season of “True Identity” continues with Tanya Saracho’s social commentary, Fade. The semi-autobiographical piece explores the inner turmoil that comes with feeling adrift in one’s culture and the struggle to reconcile that with class disparities and unrelenting ambition. Like last month’s American Fast, Fade focuses on the experiences of a woman of color in a competitive field.    

John Heminges and Henry Condell aren’t names that are immediately recognizable, but they should be. Without them, some of our favorite titles would be lost to history. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet wouldn’t exist today. No one would know the name William Shakespeare. One of America’s most produced playwrights, Lauren Gunderson, has brought their story to the stage with a fascinating glimpse into 17th century England. The Book of Will is partially a history lesson and wholly entertaining, and Big Idea Theatre has brought together solid local talent to immerse us in the world of the King’s Men.

Sibling rivalry, unrealized dreams, and learning to age gracefully are some themes currently on display in Placer Community Theater’s production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Christopher Durang’s nod to the works of Anton Chekhov premiered on Broadway in 2013 and won the Tony Award for Best Play. It incorporates Chekhov Easter eggs such as character names, locations, and situations, yet familiarity with Chekhov isn’t necessary to enjoy Durang’s play.